In certain applications, electrical connectors must be securely mated to one another to prevent disconnection of the electrical signals routed through the connector conductors. For example, in automotive applications wherein electrical signals are routed to safety equipment such as air bag deployment systems or other systems relating to the operational or safety features of the vehicle, disconnection of the electrical signals as a result of accident, operating conditions such as vibration, etc. may result in undesirable consequences. Thus, some electrical connectors are coupled to connector assemblies that mechanically lock the electrical connectors in mating engagement with one another.
Some conventional connector assemblies include a housing that houses an electrical connector, a wire guide attached to the housing and enclosing the electrical connector, and a lever that couples the housing to a header housing of a mating electrical connector. U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,558,176 and 7,384,285 are such examples. When in a locked position, the lever prevents disconnection of the housing from the header, which prevents disconnection of the mated electrical connectors. Some levers are further configured to latch into engagement with a wire guide when the lever is in the locked position thereby ensuring that the lever is not unintentionally moved out of the locked position. As these latches may be used over multiple cycles, it is desirable that the latch not be overstressed as the latch is in use or as the latch is moved between the latched and the unlatched position.
A need remains for a simple and effective latching/locking member and latching/locking system which can be reliably used over many cycles, which ensures that the lever actuated connector is initially properly secured to a mating connector, which ensures that the lever actuated connector remains continuously secured to the mating connector, and/or which ensures that the lever actuated connector is not unintentionally moved out of the locked position.